Updates and upcoming excitement

I've been a terrible blogger lately.  I guess I'm lacking inspiration, and I'm quite busy with work and finishing my first semester of grad school.  We were gone for four days over Thanksgiving break, and the days before Thanksgiving were spent working around the house with hubs.  A brief update on Baby Boy...

• Last prenatal appointment with Dr. N. went well.  Gestational diabetes test was negative, though I am not allowed to gain more than one pound a week. I've gained quite a bit so far and left the appointment rather upset about this.  I exercise 4 to 5 times a week and am very careful about what I eat, so seeing the scale took me by surprise. I'm now walking/lifting weights 6 days a week (an hour each day) and have cut out all bad stuff from my diet, including my vanilla frozen yogurt with hot fudge (boo hiss).  Hopefully I will stay within my weight gain range, or more than that, hopefully the weight won't stay around long afterwards.
• DH will now  be going to every appt. with me as I'm going twice monthly. INSANE!
• At my next appt (Tues. 12/4) we should find out if I have to a have a C section as a result of all of my uterine surgeries. I'm hoping no. 
• Baby Boy seems to be a pretty quiet baby, so quiet that the nurse had me come in on Tuesday so she could monitor his heart because he was only moving about every three hours.  He seriously freaks me out with this stunt!  That evening, he was crazy baby, of course. 
• Last night I'm pretty sure I felt my first Braxton Hicks.  (maybe not, I've never had a baby before, so who knows). The whole area around my belly button got tight and cramped terribly.  It was horrible. I had two in twenty minutes and then I was fine, but my belly was still sore this morning.  These pains were accompanied by some pressure "down there." I thought about calling the nurse line, but once the pains went away, I figured I was fine.  I thought I was done worrying after the first trimester, but the feeling of not knowing and not being able to do anything doesn't ever go away.
• My first baby shower is this Saturday!! It seems early, but I didn't want to impose on anyone's holidays, and mid-January is a little late to start getting baby stuff. 

And on that note...in January, I will be having my last baby shower.  At our church, there are six families who all have daughters/daughters-in-law the same age (that's approximately 12 daughters).  These six women--including my MIL--throw every daughter a bridal and baby shower.  From September to March, they will have hosted four baby showers!  It's a veritable baby boom among the daughters. My SIL, myself, and two other girls will all have babies within six months of each other.  I'm so blessed to be a part of this group of women.  One of my BFFs is also a part of this group and will be helping host my baby shower.  That's the new era: the daughters are now helping with the planning! I will be helping with the March baby shower (I hope). 

Every time I look at my baby registry, I worry that baby will not have what he needs. I know it's silly, especially (as bff DD said) when women hundreds of years ago raised babies with nothing.  The funny thing about baby stuff is that we buy all this STUFF that we hope helps the baby and mommy stay sane, but we really don't know if it will work.  Baby Boy could love the vibrating chair. Or hate it. He could love the swing.  Or hate it.  He could love the nap nanny. Or hate it.  Really, I have no idea what to expect.  Trial by fire I guess.  I go back and forth as to whether or not I want to cloth diaper.  I LOVE the idea but I'm also overwhelmed and frightened by it, despite the numerous hours of research I've done on the topic.  There are so many decisions to make, and with less than 12 weeks less, I hope I'm making the right ones. 

After New Years, we will only have six weeks. SIX!!! AHH!!  So, over Christmas break, I will be writing my sub plans for my long-term substitute.  I will be returning to work the second week in April if Baby Boy makes his due date.  I will be at school to teach and have meetings in the morning and then leave around 11:30, pick up Baby Boy, and work from home in the afternoon.  Baby Boy will be with an at-home sitter with his cousin, Elyse, in the mornings.  My SIL and BIL were pleased with this sitter, and once Elyse starts seeing her in January, we will confirm our decision as well.  Both DH and BIL are off work every other Friday, so Fridays will be boys-and-babies day. 

Here I am, officially in my third trimester.  Officially two-thirds of the way through.  Looking forward to my baby shower, throwing DD's baby shower (more about this later! I couldn't be more excited!), and Christmas! 

I'll post a bump pic after my shower.  I'm kind of obsessed with my shower outfit iincluding the heels, which are way too high to wear to work but will be manageable for three hours :)  I also haven't revealed Baby Boy's name to all of my blog friends yet.  I think I'm going to wait until he's born...all my real-life friends and family know, but I like the secret, even though it's not really a secret.